At Z University.

She often took walks with the man called her fiancé.

Gu Feibai watched the couples on the other side, where women walked on high narrow platforms, hands held tight, bodies ready to fall at any moment, in completely trusting poses.

He said: “It’s not safe. From a physiological perspective, if an obstacle comes flying, people instinctively dodge.”

Ah Heng smiled: “Obstacles? What kind of things count as obstacles?”

Gu Feibai said calmly: “Why don’t you try it?”

Ah Heng froze. She said: “If I became your obstacle, and you didn’t care about me, what if I fell and got hurt?”

He bent down, measured with his fingers, and smiled: “Better not try. It’s indeed too high.”

Ah Heng chuckled, looking at Gu Feibai, sighing slightly: “Oh, you.”

Her white canvas shoes stepped onto the high railing. She stretched out both hands and lowered her head with a smile, looking at him tenderly.

This aloof young man was still just a youth, uneasy about loving and being loved. Imagine the power of desire, yet always bound by reason’s limits.

She said: “Feibai, watch, I can walk this path very well.”

Every step was getting closer to you.

But I dare not say, you can’t ignore me.

She lowered her soft fingers into his palm, then watched the continuously falling maple leaves in the distance while walking on the high platform.

She remained still and calm, while Gu Feibai’s thin fingerprints slowly dampened his palm with sweat.

She smiled: “You are afraid of treating me as an obstacle.”

His expression was like being on a cliff where one wrong step – who knows who would shatter to pieces.

Gu Feibai looked at her, his gaze showing reluctance for a moment before hiding it again, calm and undisturbed.

But she only looked at her feet.

Gu Feibai tilted his head slightly, sighing: “Your balance is very good.”

Ah Heng said helplessly: “This is also instinct. In dangerous situations, people always have the instinct to maintain their safety.”

He watched her quietly, then spoke: “Should I attribute this to our mutual distrust?”

Ah Heng withdrew her hand from his, spread her arms, sniffled slightly, and said softly: “Then do you know, if I don’t hold your hand, my balance is even better.”

What I give you, you never see; what you want, I can’t give in the way you want.

Bicycles passed back and forth under the maple trees, the sky gradually darkened, vision becoming blurry.

He said: “Will it be like this for life? How noble you sound, you, me, us.”

Ah Heng said: “Do you want to become a philosopher for love? Feibai, your wish is to become a world-class surgeon.”

Gu Feibai looked at the horizon and straightened his back, his face cold: “Wen Heng, you just don’t dare to become the only obstacle in my life.”

Then, many images flooded her mind, sweet and warm things that tortured her until her heart ached.

She could barely catch her breath, hands and feet turning cold: “Feibai, I can’t become your obstacle, you know that’s not allowed.”

He turned around, sighed, gently lifted her down from the platform, and wrapped her in his embrace, his face bare in the autumn night, speaking softly, with the faintest tears in his eyes: “Wen Heng, sooner or later I’ll leave you on an overpass, never look at you again, one day.”

When she first started university and arrived in H City, she often got lost. She’d use public phones, and Gu Feibai would say stay on the overpass, don’t move, you know, the overpass.

Oh, the overpass.

Then, she’d lean on the overpass, obediently waiting for him to come.

Back then, he held an umbrella, and smiled at her for the first time, saying: “How different you are from what I imagined?”

The Wen Heng in his imagination, what was she like in his imagination?

Ah Heng recalled the old times, feeling embarrassed, lowered her head, and smiled.

She said: “Gu Feibai, you’re threatening me.”

Gu Feibai said: “How many times have I threatened you to make you remember our first meeting, yet you remain unchanged.”

Ah Heng coughed: “Little Bai, oh Little Bai, is it not when you were still Little Bai?”

Gu Feibai tightened his embrace, softening his tone slightly: “Really, really not.”

Xin Dayi said: “Damn, once winter comes, I don’t even want to go out, it’s freezing.”

Mary was speechless: “It’s only mid-November, can you stop being so dramatic? You’re already wearing a down jacket.”

Xin Dayi sniffled, his chin gesturing toward Yan Xi walking with his head down nearby: “Why don’t you talk about the beauty? Look at that outfit, tsk tsk, sweater, thermal underwear, scarf, hat, if you didn’t know better you’d think he was on an Antarctic expedition.”

Yan Xi turned his head, holding a cup of hot coffee, sneering: “Your wife cares about you, afraid you’ll die of heat, what’s it got to do with me?”

Da Yima was embarrassed: “You mean Rousi? He’s my enemy, besides, he’s just a drag queen, how did he become my wife?”

Rousi raged: “Even if you turned into a woman I wouldn’t look at you, let alone you being a man.”

That word “man” was bitten out firmly.

Da Yima: “Fuck, you’re always against me, what did I say? This is ridiculous!”

Chen Wan lowered his head and smiled.

Xin Dayi’s face darkened: “Yan Xi, who’s this kid? Never seen him before.”

He had seen Chen Wan at the press conference, but he was tired of all the scheming among these brothers, deliberately trying to provoke Yan Xi.

Yan Xi didn’t have much reaction, speaking plainly: “Oh, Chen Wan, this is my brother Xin Dayi, and that’s my sister-in-law Rosemary, from America, the same surname as you.”

Xin Dayi and Mary’s faces turned green again.

“Hello, I’m Chen Wan.”

Chen Wan greeted politely, voice very small, smiling shyly.

Xin Dayi raised his thick eyebrows, sneering: “So you’re Chen Wan, huh? Let me tell you, you’ve got everything right except your speech. You should do it like this: He-llo, I am, Chen Wan. The more you stutter the better, and I guarantee Yan Xi will be wrapped around your finger. Lu Liu? Wen Siwang? Whoever taught you did a shit job.”

Chen Wan’s face turned pale instantly.

Rousi also laughed: “Your expression isn’t up to par either. The one you’re imitating would always just smile gently at you, smile, smile, smile, always smiling. Only when others bullied someone – remember, not even a bit right – only then would the face change, understand? You need to curse in broken, embarrassing Beijing dialect, or grab a chair and smash it directly on someone’s head. You need to have that awareness to make it work.”

Chen Wan’s expression became even worse, head lowered, not speaking.

Yan Xi put his hands in his pockets, speaking flatly: “Are you done yet? I invited Chen Wan out, if you’re unhappy about something, take it out on me.”

Mary smiled: “Since when are people trained by Lu Liu so easy to get along with? Yan Xi, your thoughtlessness is disappointing. Just because of a bit of loneliness…”

Yan Xi’s eyes showed some weariness as he said calmly: “The case is finished today, I just invited you out for a meal. If you feel you can’t stomach this meal, then leave.”

Xin Dayi said: “Yan Xi, is anyone who can fill your loneliness acceptable? Before, it was like this with Lu Liu, now with A-“

Before Xin Dayi could finish, Yan Xi threw his can at him, his face turning cold as he sneered: “Yes, anyone is fine as long as I like them, okay?”

The brown liquid from the can splashed onto Xin Dayi’s chest, hair, face, and even jaw, dripping continuously, looking extremely disheveled.

Xin Dayi gritted his teeth, trembling with anger: “Yan Xi, I’m your brother, and you do this for some person with unclear origins!”

Chen Juan also became angry: “Young Master Yan has always been so free-spirited, we common folk can’t appreciate your good temper.” Then, pulling Xin Dayi, they turned and left.

Yan Xi remained expressionless, continuing to walk forward. Chen Wan kept apologizing: “I’m sorry, it’s all because of me, I didn’t know it would turn out like this. Sorry.”

Yan Xi kept walking without answering, then suddenly, as if remembering something, turned and asked him: “Do you like eating crayfish? Dayi and the others all love it.”

Chen Wan was slightly stunned: “Where are we going to eat?”

Yan Xi said: “Avone, the environment is nice.”

Chen Wan smiled: “I thought you were going to take me to eat ribs.”

Yan Xi shook his head, smiling faintly: “That’s my personal favorite, can’t force it on others.”

Avone was still the same as before, manager Liszt still maintained his German gentleman’s appearance. Seeing Yan Xi, he was very enthusiastic and polite, but after glancing at Chen Wan several times, his expression became unnatural.

Yan Xi handed the menu to Chen Wan, casually speaking to Liszt: “Mine’s the usual.”

Chen Wan smiled, somewhat shy, speaking softly: “Can I order anything I want?”

Yan Xi froze for a moment, then nodded, smiling: “Yes, anything, whatever you like.”

Liszt bent down, asking the youth: “Young Master Yan, won’t you pick a beer?”

Yan Xi glanced at him saying: “No need, Fleeting Time has probably been drunk by your young boss anyway, he’s been back for how long now.”

Liszt’s expression became somewhat awkward.

Chen Wan smiled: “I still want to try the rib dish here, learn from it.”

Yan Xi said: “No need, the ribs here aren’t as good as yours.”

Then, he spoke plainly to Liszt: “Get him a fresh milk-baked lobster, a French snail, fewer spices in the mint noodles, and finally bring a bottle of ’70 red wine. That’s all.”

Liszt nodded, taking another look at Chen Wan before leaving.

Chen Wan smiled, his gaze gentle: “It’s good that you like my ribs.”

Yan Xi nodded saying: “I like them, like them very much. Of all the ribs I’ve eaten since childhood, no one has made them in a way I like more than yours.”

That gentle youth spoke tenderly: “Yan Xi, I like you.”

“Hm?” Yan Xi hadn’t heard clearly.

Chen Wan said: “Yan Xi, I said, I like you.”

Yan Xi narrowed his eyes, took off his coat, removed his scarf, draped them over his arm, and spoke plainly: “And then?”

Chen Wan was stunned as if he hadn’t anticipated Yan Xi’s reaction, forcing himself to continue: “Yan Xi, I can take care of your daily life, make your favorite ribs every day.”

Yan Xi laughed loudly: “So? Do you want to be my chef? As you can see, I’m on a salary, still in university, saving up for marriage, so sorry, I don’t have spare money to hire you.”

Chen Wan’s expression was incredulous as he said: “You like eating my ribs. I don’t need any status, I just want to be with you. You like me, you’ve helped me so much, even willing to play a supporting role on the T-stage for me, doesn’t that count as liking?”

That youth lowered his head, his long fingers absently stroking the gray scarf on his forearm, a dim color, worn beyond repair.

“If what you’re describing is what you call liking, then I suppose I just like your ribs and Lu Liu’s money.”

Chen Wan’s thoughts became confused, looking struck, strangely adding: “It doesn’t make sense, even Little Gray likes me.”

Yan Xi smiled without humor: “It’s just an animal, what does it understand?”

Then he took out a stack of money from his wallet, handing it to him: “Thank you for taking care of our Little Gray these days, it’s been three months, right? Tomorrow I’ll drive to pick it up.”

Chen Wan angrily threw the money back: “Yan Xi, I never wanted your money. I just like you, do you understand what it means to like someone?”

The youth remained unmoved: “Oh, you want Lu Liu’s money then? Then we’re the same, no need to get upset.”

Then he smiled again: “As for liking someone, sorry, that position is currently vacant.”

Chen Wan’s expression darkened: “So Young Master Lu’s estimate was wrong? He said if his seven years could be converted to three years, then that person’s three years could be matched in three months.”

Yan Xi said: “He just wanted me to realize how easy it is for Yan Xi to abandon a past and start anew, regardless of gender.”

Chen Wan smiled bitterly: “But I like you, I’ll make the ribs you like, take care of the dog you love, give you someone to rely on, make you break your rules, make your heart soft.”

Yan Xi looked at him flatly: “You missed one thing – this face, it makes me think it looks so fucking similar.”

Chen Wan said: “I lost, it was just a wasted move. As long as he has money, Young Master Lu can create a second or third chess piece like me.”

The youth took out his phone, dialed a string of numbers, handed it to Chen Wan, and said: “Thank you so much for making me such delicious ribs all these days, and for taking care of Little Gray. Please tell Lu Liu for me, if he’s so omnipotent, I beg him, please, can he help me find that person back?

“If not, then stop everything. A disappeared person, whether alive or dead, has nothing to do with me anymore.”